The sequel to Rosemary and Time, Fathom Five is going okay. Some parts aren’t quite gelling yet, but I am getting flashes of good character moments.
Here’s one: Peter has been kidnapped and is being brainwashed. Rosemary sneaks into his room and tries to get him to leave, but he refuses. After they argue, Peter hears footsteps in the corridor and realizes Rosemary is in danger:
He heard footsteps in the hall, and the effect disappeared. “Peter?” Fiona’s voice.
He looked around the room frantically. “Quick! Hide!”
Rosemary stared at him. She didn’t move. “What are you talking about—”
“They can’t find you here!” Fear for Rosemary clutched at his throat, though he couldn’t figure out why. “Hide in the closet! In the closet!” He grabbed her by the waist and hauled her across the room.
“Let go of me!” Rosemary punched him in the stomach so hard, he was still retching when the door burst open.
Peter is turning into something of a punching bag for Rosemary. He’s been shoved into a snowbank, he’s been wrestled to the floor of a train compartment and now this. It’s funny, I guess, and it’s one good way to throw a wrinkle in the standard boy-girl relationships in those young adult novels…